World of Wheels

Nissan marks Z's 40th with special edition coupe

To celebrate four decades of its iconic Z sports car, Nissan is launching a limited edition 370Z 40th Anniversary model.

The celebratory coupe starts out as a basically loaded up model, with a manual gearbox and that oh-so-slick SynchroRev Match technology. The exterior wears a “40th Quartz” exterior colour, a smoked wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th anniversary badges on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace.

Inside, there are red leather seats are door panel inserts, 40th anniversary seat and floormat embroidery, red stitching on the center stack, shift boot, kneepads and steering wheel and a plaque of authenticity.  Every 40th Anniversary Z also comes with a commemorative premium satin car cover. The coupe goes on sale in the spring.

Citroën relights its relationship with the Tour Eiffel

To celebrate Citroën’s 90th b-day and the Eiffel Tower’s 120th, the French icons have joined forces again – for the first time in 75 years.

For three months, starting October 22nd, the world-famous Paris icon will glitter with a special 12-minute light show - one minute for each decade the ‘Iron Lady’ has stood in the City of Lights.

To mark the first of these displays, Citroën will be streaming live footage of the event from webcams mounted in 10 of it new C3 compact hatchbacks, positioned at vantage points around Gustave Eiffel’s famed tower. It all starts at 8.00 pm local time (six hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time, as a reference).

Electric Smart Fortwo set for 2012

Das Germans over at Smart have announced that their electric drive Smart Fortwo will go into large-scale production in 2012 at the automaker’s plant in Hambach, France. The news came during a visit to facility by French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Actually, next month the plant will bolt together about 1,000 electric Smarts for initial testing by select customers in major Europe and U.S. cities. They’ll provide feedback about the two-seater’s everyday driving manners so problems can be sussed-out before regular production starts in 2012.

"The Smart Fortwo electric drive proves that emission-free driving in an urban environment is already feasible today,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Far East 4x4: GM to sell Hummer to Chinese firm

Just before Canada’s turkey-fueled Thanksgiving long weekend, General Motors announced the sale of its Hummer brand to China’s Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd.

Ending months of speculation, the sale to the Asian firm includes the truck division’s current lineup, its dealerships and its existing executives. It appears that, at least initially, Hummer will still be based in America, even though it cash flow will come from across the Pacific.

Said James Taylor, Hummer’s CEO: "We are fortunate to have a partner who understands and recognizes the importance of continuing investment in Hummer's heritage as a U.S.-based and branded company with a view toward capitalizing on global opportunities. Backed by a privately owned and well-capitalized company, we are going to be able to focus on providing customers with more efficient models that deliver Hummer's promise of authentic, purpose-built design and engineering."

Infiniti’s first hybrid coming

Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti, announced plans for its first hybrid vehicle this week. The luxury automaker’s new-for-2011 M midsize sedan will earn its green credentials with an eco-friendly gas-electric variant.

The new M hits Canadian roads in spring 2010, with the M35 hybrid arriving about 12 months later as a 2012 model. The car is being billed as, “the cleanest and most economical car in Infiniti’s history.”

Like Lexus with its gas-electric GS sedan, Infiniti is not only talking about the fuel economy and CO2 improvements in its hybrid – there’s also rumblings about its performance. Remember, those electric motors are at max torque right off of idle. Maybe there’s a comparison test in the cards here…

Great Scott! Defunct Pontiac Solstice could live on as a reborn DeLorean?

Here’s a whopper from the rumour mill. The defunct Pontiac Solstice could live on… as the new DeLorean.

What. What? Well, let us try to explain: The DeLorean Motor Company of Humble, Texas is the foremost specialist in parts, restoration and servicing of the 80s-era stainless steel sports car, made famous in the Back to the Future films.

But recently, it launched the website www.newdelorean.com, with a design sketch of a Solstice in DeLorean-inspired clothing. Meanwhile, it posted this message on its Facebook page: “What if John DeLorean were still alive? Some of his greatest automotive accomplishments were at Pontiac, and now the Solstice is a new car without a brand, and DeLorean is brand without a new car...”

Mitsu milestone: 100,000 vehicles sold to Canucks

Mitsubishi Motor Sales Of Canada Inc. has just announced the sales of its 100,000 vehicles. The milestone model comes seven years after the brand's return to our market.

Since 2002, Mitsubishi’s Canadian operation has nearly doubled in size, particularly over the past three years. The Japanese automaker says it “ attributes its success in this global recession, to the hard work and dedication of its people and the quality and leading edge technology found in every Outlander, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Lancer Sportback, Eclipse Coupe, Spyder, Galant and Endeavor.”

There’s no word on which Mitsu model represented the landmark vehicle (we’d like to think it was an Evo MR…)

Tokyo 2009: Toyota hints at sports car future with Subaru-powered FT-86 Concept

Later this month at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota will finally shown signs of moving back into the sports car arena with its FT-86 Concept.

Details on the compact rear-wheel drive coupe are still slim, but the 2.0-litre boxer engine under the hood says this is the long-rumoured sports machine Toyota will build with Subaru’s help.

Calling all cars: new Chevy Caprice police vehicle coming to your rearview mirror in 2011

GM’s Australian-built rear-wheel drive sedan will live on in North America – at least with law enforcement.

In 2011, the automaker will introduce the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV), based on the same global rear-drive architecture that underpins the new Chevy Camaro and the retired Pontiac G8 sedan. For police duty, it’s the long wheelbase setup, already sold as the Middle East-market Caprice.

Announced at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Denver, Colorado last week, the new Caprice will bring full-size, rear-drive Chevys back to the cop-shop after 15 years. Some officers we’ve spoken to (I wasn’t speeding) get all nostalgic for the old body-on-frame Caprice that disappeared in 1996.